WHAT'S NEW AT WEBSTER BANK ARENA

This season, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers will treat their fans to a brand new in-game experience at Webster Bank Arena.

That’s because the arena is rolling out a multitude of new features, highlighted by a giant high-definition scoreboard hanging over center ice. The Daktronics scoreboard stands 30x16 ft., with six-millimeter pixels, and is complemented by a Sony HD system. Sound Tigers President Howard Saffan says the new scoreboard, as well as the accompanying ribbon board that wraps around the top of the lower bowl, completely enhances the fan experience at Webster Bank Arena.

“The center-hung scoreboard brings state-of-the-art technology into our 10,000 seat arena,” Saffan said. “The board is one of the largest center-hungs for an arena this size in the country. The Sony HD system brings life to it. Additionally, the ribbon board around the perimeter of the arena is over 800 linear feet. It completely changes the experience at Webster Bank Arena.”

The scoreboard above center ice debuts on Sunday when the Sound Tigers take on the Connecticut Whale. It will feature live game video, in addition to statistics, entertaining videos and other information to bring the fans closer to the action. For fans looking to compare the new scoreboard to another they may have already seen, Saffan points out that there really is none like it, and they need to visit Webster Bank Arena and see for themselves.

“The quality of the picture is unlike any in the New York metropolitan area,” Saffan said. “The last building to be furnished with a center-hung scoreboard anywhere near this size was CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. Their scoreboard is 25 feet wide and ours is 30. The latest, greatest in the NHL doesn’t hold a candle to our venue.”

The scoreboard isn’t the only new feature at Webster Bank Arena for the 2012-13 season. The fourth floor features the “Stags Club,” sponsored by nearby Fairfield University. The club holds 300-350 people and is adorned with maple paneling and granite countertops.

A conference room has been added to the suite level, available to all suite holders, which seats 24 people and overlooks the Ballpark at Harbor Yard next door. In early 2013, the arena will also add an Irish Pub, which will accommodate more than 250 people from both the inside and outside of the building.

These new features make Webster Bank Arena one of the most exciting places to experience a hockey game or concert. With an in-arena experience rivaling that of most state-of-the-art NHL buildings, fans at Webster Bank Arena can get closer to the Sound Tigers than ever before